


Steadfast Tin Bucky

by Avidreader6



Series: Fairy Tale AUs [2]
Category: Den standhaftige tinsoldat | The Steadfast Tin Soldier - Hans Christian Andersen, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, First Kisses, M/M, Steve is a good friend, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Young Tony Stark, pretty much everyone is a toy but Tony, shy bucky, toy story-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 14:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5789509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avidreader6/pseuds/Avidreader6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky is a toy soldier missing an arm.  Until one day when he is "fixed" and falls in love with the talented porcelain ballerina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Soldier Gets a New Arm, and a Name

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very loose retelling of The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Bucky is not actually made of tin, but I really liked the title.

Once Upon a Time….

There was a toy soldier unlike any other. He had been produced along with a whole regiment of other soldiers. Each was made to be unique and performed a different and important role. Sadly, when it came time for the last soldier to be put together, there had not been enough material and he was left with only one arm.

One soldier had thinning brown hair, a kind smile, and looked like he was meant to be the leader since he carried no weapon and his badge said “Captain”. Another was tan, had large muscles, and a mouth fixed in a constant scowl. The armless soldier had styled brown hair, soft grey-blue eyes, and wore a smirk that made him look as though he was always up to some sort of mischief. They were all dressed in blue coats and black trousers and carried a variety of weapons which were important to their jobs. The armless soldier had a rifle strapped to his back because he was meant to be a sniper. He could not use it though, so had to watch as each of his comrades were able to do their jobs as he fumbled to remove the rifle from his back. 

The soldier would watch as his fellows were all brought out time and again to protect the castle, yet he was pushed to the side to watch or left in the darkness all alone. As he was left behind more often, the soldier began to sleep more and more, hoping he would just forget about everything. It was not until a new boy began playing with the soldiers, that things changed. This new boy looked similar to the old boy, but this boy wanted to play with all the soldiers. When he discovered the armless soldier in the box, he examined him before declaring that he was his favorite. 

One afternoon, he took the soldier in his small hands and brought him out of the room. As he walked, the boy kept up a string of non-stop words to his soldier. “Can’t believe I finally have a chance. I’m gonna fix you. Make you better than the others. Dad finally said I can use the lab! But we’re not gonna tell him I’m using it to fix my toys, even if you are the best soldier.”

The soldier had no response, of course, but he was excited at the idea of being fixed. They entered a white, shiny room and the boy gently set the soldier on a table, fixing it so the soldier could see what was going on. The soldier was nervous about what the boy had planned, he wanted to be fixed, but he was afraid that things would go wrong. On the table, with him, was a box with pictures of his comrades on it. The boy picked it up and examined it, before setting it in front of the soldier. 

“Let’s see here. I made the mold from the pictures on the box. And look! You and your buddies have names!” The boy picked up the soldier again and looked him over one more time before setting him back on the table. “Awesome! You are Sergeant James Barnes, sniper. I think James is kind of boring, though, don’t you?”

Still unable to answer and still in awe at having a name, James almost missed the boy’s next words. “I’m gonna call you Bucky instead. Like in the comics. Captain America’s best friend.”

If he could have, Bucky would have grinned. He liked having a name and he liked this boy. 

“Now to fix you. I’ve got the mold made. Now I just need to pour the super hot metal into it.”

Bucky watched with trepidation as the boy used tongs to carry a jar of something red hot. He could feel the heat coming off of it from where he was, and Bucky was concerned, not only for himself but for the boy as well. One wrong move and he could be hurt. Bucky did not want a new arm if it meant the boy would be injured.

“Master Stark, what are you doing?”

“Fixin’ this old toy of dad’s. I have permission to be in here Jarvis.”

“I am aware of that Master Anthony. What I would like to know is why you are not wearing gloves or safety goggles? If you had asked, I would have happily assisted you.”

Anthony looked properly chastened at Jarvis’s words. “Sorry Jarvis. Help me now please?”

Jarvis chuckled and smiled at his young charge. “Of course.”

“Take soldier Bucky there and hold him so he can see. I don’t want to spill any of this.”

“Gloves first Master Anthony.” Anthony rolled his eyes but set the steaming jar down and went to put on some thick gloves. Jarvis picked up Bucky, giving him a good view of everything that was happening. “And safety goggles!”

“Okay, Jarvis!” 

Jarvis just shook his head and laughed lightly. He looked at the soldier in his hands and he could see why Tony had adopted him. “Do not worry. Master Anthony may be excitable, but he will do his best to give you a functioning new arm.”

For a little over an hour, Anthony worked under Jarvis’s supervision, until he held up a small metal arm. “Look Jarvis!! I did it!”

“You have done very well Master Anthony. Now what?”

“Now I attach it to Bucky over there.” Anthony’s voice was quiet and he sounded unsure. Bucky found his hopes of a new arm slipping away. Holding out his hand, Jarvis passed over the toy and Anthony examined him again, small fingers feeling over the empty arm socket.

“What seems to be the problem, Tony?” Jarvis only ever called him, Tony, when he was feeling sad or troubled. Tony felt silly for what he was about to admit. “Tony?”

“I, I don’t want to hurt him, Jarvis.”

Understanding showed in Jarvis’s eyes and he bent down to look his young charge in the eye. Anthony may be a genius, but he was still a child, and still cared about his toys and how they felt. He looked at the toy soldier in Anthony’s hand and then back at Anthony.

“I think, young Master Stark, that Bucky here would think a little pain was worth it since he would be gaining a brand new, hand-crafted arm from the one and only, Anthony Stark.” 

Tony laid Bucky down on the table carefully and began gathering the materials he would need. For his own sake, Bucky let himself fade into unconsciousness, hoping that later when he woke, he would have a new, functioning arm.

When he did wake, Bucky was freezing cold, and as he came back to consciousness, he also realized his left side was wet. Thankfully that did not last long and he was back on the table being dried off. 

Tony smiled triumphantly. “Jarvis! Look!”

Jarvis peeked over Tony’s shoulder and smiled. He had done very well. “You should be very proud of yourself Master Anthony. Very well done indeed.”

“Thanks, Jarvis. I’m gonna go play now. Bucky’s got a ballerina to protect.” 

Tony began to rush out of the room, but before he made it too far, he ran back into the lab and wrapped his arms around Jarvis’s waist. Jarvis put his arms around Tony’s shoulders and hugged him back, happy to see Tony so excited.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Bucky to meet the other toys, including a certain ballerina....

Tony skipped to his room, eager to play. Bucky was just as keen; he wanted to show off how he could now be a real asset and do his job. Inside, Tony began pulling all his toys out and setting them up around his room. It was a large room, and Tony took advantage of that, creating two very separate spaces for each side and getting everything in place for an epic battle.

First was the castle. Made of wood and painted to look like stone, it had a working drawbridge and places for soldiers on the ramparts. Tony pulled out Bucky’s comrades next and began placing them on the castle ramparts and on the drawbridge. Bucky he set at the front of them all as their leader. 

Next came the hydra. A fearsome scarlet monster with nine heads, all growling and snarling and ferocious. He set it behind a fort he’d made of Lincoln Logs, and made sure a few of the heads could be seen above the logs. Tony set a few plastic army men around it as its guards and even stuck one in one of the head's mouth to make it scarier. Tony then took from a bin under the bed, an archer and stood him next to Bucky. Then came a stuffed green bear, which Tony set inside the castle as “backup.”

One of the last toys, required Tony to scramble up onto his bed and under his blankets. He kissed the figure’s blond head before setting him on Bucky’s other side. The figure was a man in a red, white, and blue jumpsuit with a white star on his chest. 

Tony was whispered to the toy before setting him down next to Bucky and introducing them. “Bucky meet Cap. Cap meet Bucky.”

Cap was also holding a shield, so Bucky thought he might be a knight. Cap had bright blue eyes and a confident smile on his face. With his broad shoulders and big muscles, it was obvious Cap was ready for whatever action came their way. Bucky hoped he was friendly. 

Tony surveyed the scene and noticed he’d forgotten something. He ran to the closet and carefully carried out something, keeping it close to his chest. He set it behind the hydra, arranged a few more army men around it, and moved back to the castle. Tony walked around the entire battle and smiled, clearly proud of what he’d created. It was going to be a truly epic battle save Natasha Ballerina.

She was covered by a clear glass dome, posed and ready to pirouette. Pale porcelain skin and crimson curls drew the eye to her own pale blue eyes and rosy full lips. She was dressed in a black leotard and gauzy skirt with scarlet pointe shoes, the ribbons tied around strong legs. Bucky took one look at the poised and waiting ballerina and knew he was in trouble.

The battle began and waged on until Tony was called for dinner. He lifted the dome from the ballerina before moving her and her stage to sit in front of the castle. He declared Bucky and Cap the victors, and ran out for dinner. Once he was gone, everyone relaxed and began talking and reliving the battle. 

Cap held out the hand not holding the shield to Bucky. “Captain America, pleased to meet you.”

Bucky put out his new arm, glad Tony had molded it so it could move. “Bucky Barnes, nice to meet you too.”

“I haven’t seen you before, are you a new toy?”

Bucky’s gaze had shifted over to the ballerina, who was rehearsing different dance steps. “No. Not new, just fixed. I had been missing my arm. Tony fixed it.”

Cap laughed, and smiled fondly. “He does that. He fixed my shield” Cap showed off where there was a fused hairline crack in his shield, “and Clint’s bow. Hulk, the green bear, had lost most of his stuffing and Tony fixed that too, probably a little too well.”

They looked at the bear, who was indeed stuffed to the point of having trouble moving his limbs, but looked happy where he was. 

Not wanting to seem too eager, Bucky asked about a few of the others before asking about her. “So, uh, what about the ballerina? What’s wrong with her?”

Cap smiled knowingly. “Natasha? Nothing too bad, just a small hole in her chest. Tony hasn’t fixed it yet. Not sure he knows how. It’s some manufacturing defect. She is swell though.”

Bucky coughed and looked away. “Yeah, I guess.”

Cap was going to say more, but they were interrupted by some of Bucky’s comrades. “What is going on Barnes? Last we saw you, you were being ignored for being useless.”

Bucky had gotten so used to being overlooked, he had long since forgotten his squad’s names. He looked at the tag on the soldier’s jacket before saying anything. “Not useless anymore, Rumlow. Been fixed.”

Rumlow sneered. “Don’t know about that. That arm is freakish.”

Bucky’s hackles raised as a few of the other soldiers laughed alongside Rumlow, but there were a few others who came to stand with Bucky, glaring at Rumlow. “He’s just jealous Tony chose you. That new arm is great.”

Turning to see who was speaking, he found himself face to face with an older soldier. It was the soldier with the thinning brown hair and kind smile. Before Tony, Bucky thought he remembered him as one of the few who would actually talk to him. Bucky looked at his badge and read the name Coulson. He smiled back at man, automatically liking him.

“Thanks Coulson. I’m still gettin’ used to it. It’s strange being balanced.”

Coulson just continued to smile at him, and held out his hand. Bucky shook it, glad to have an ally. They spoke for a little while longer before Coulson excused himself to talk to the archer, named Clint, who had been on Bucky’s other side. Tired of being tuned out himself, Rumlow called to his compatriots and they all marched off after Rumlow, muttering. Bucky just rolled his eyes before returning his attention to Cap. He found his gaze divided though, watching Natasha dancing gracefully just over Cap’s shoulder. 

Cap looked behind him and grinned. “Just go talk to her. She’s not half as scary as she looks. Promise.”

Looking over at the ballerina himself, Cap knew he’d have to set up an introduction soon. There was no way he would let his new friend just sit here and pine. He looked Bucky’s shining arm, and hoped he would not let Rumlow’s words worm their way into his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finally talks to Natasha!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late, I wasn't feeling well yesterday and ended up going to bed early.

Bucky soon settled into a steady routine and became quite proficient with his new arm. In the afternoons, Tony would get them all ready for battle. Bucky and Cap would save Natasha Ballerina, and then Tony would be called away for dinner, ending the battle. Once Tony was gone, Cap would begin his never-ending campaign of trying to convince Bucky to talk to Natasha. 

Their back and forth over the topic had become comic. Bucky would come up with excuse after excuse, and Cap would shoot each and every one down using reason and logic. It had now reached the point where Bucky was having to scramble for any shred of an excuse. Cap would just give him that knowing smile and back off for a few minutes. They would fall back into their easy friendship, which while still new, felt comfortable and as though they had been friends all their lives. 

He had also made friends with a few of his fellow soldiers, and Bucky really liked Coulson’s company. He was always calm and ready to do what needed to be done, and his dry humor never failed to get a laugh from Bucky. They had all settled into an easy camaraderie and did their best to avoid Rumlow and his cronies. Rumlow still liked to walk close, and whisper snide comments about Bucky and those who stuck by them, but for the most part, he was easy to avoid. 

Coulson had also joined in Cap’s crusade of trying to get Bucky to talk to Natasha. He tried to reassure his friend that it would all be fine and that Bucky did not have to come up with some brilliant conversation right off the bat. A simple ‘hello’ would be a wonderful start. Bucky would do his best to change the subject, and after catching Coulson throwing a few longing looks of his own at a certain archer, Bucky found it was easy to tease him about his own infatuation.

When Coulson had actually gone and invited the archer, Clint, for a stroll, Bucky had been impressed. He watched his friend flirt with Clint for a few moments, and when Clint had taken Coulson’s hand and begun to lead him away, Coulson had looked over his shoulder and winked at Bucky. Bucky had gone back to Steve that day, happy that Coulson had found someone. Steve hoped that seeing Coulson’s success would give Bucky the push he needed to talk to Natasha. 

Unfortunately, it only seemed to make Bucky more flustered. Steve did his best to reassure his friend, but his words fell on deaf ears. Bucky continued to just brush him off and stuck to his excuses. Cap had had enough, so decided to enlist some help. He sought Coulson out one night and they both discussed their worries. Together they began brainstorming solutions to their very peculiar problem. 

Steve decided to keep talking to Bucky, hoping that continuous encouragement would help. Coulson, on the other hand, went for a more covert route. He decided it was past time to get some inside information. He said goodbye to Steve and began working on the best way to broach the subject with his archer.

***************

Clint had once been a part of a circus playset as the trick shot. Most of the circus had been lost or broken in the past few years, but Clint had luckily fallen into a different box and had gone unnoticed. It was not until Tony found him one day that things changed. He painted over Clint’s bright purple costume and had made him a new bow. Tony’s paint job had not been perfect, and some purple bled through the black, but Clint and Coulson liked it.

Tony had just disappeared off to dinner, and Coulson immediately pulled Clint aside. Clint had been hoping for a kiss from his soldier, but it had only taken one stern glance from those grey eyes and Clint was behaving himself. 

“Clint, you’re friends with Natasha, right?”

“Yeah, it was her box I ended up in. Why?”

“What’s she like?” Worried that Coulson was moving on from him, Clint was silent. Seeing the look on Clint’s face, Coulson realised his mistake and put an arm around Clint’s waist, tugging him into his side. “It’s not for me Hawkeye. I quite like the lips I’ve been kissing.”

Clint smiled and stood a little taller. “Good, because if you had been thinkin’ of ditchin’ me, Coulson, there’d be an arrow with your name on it.”

Coulson rolled his eyes, and in an effort to soothe his archer’s ruffled feathers, pressed his lips to Clint’s in a sweet kiss. When he pulled back, Clint’s eyes were still closed and he had a crooked smile on his face. Coulson felt a little thrill go down his back at his skill of rendering the usually chatty man so quiet.

When Clint finally came back to himself, Coulson asked again. “Natasha?”

“Oh. Right. She’s nice. Smart, good dancer, obviously. Also good at a lot more than just dancing.” Clint hesitated, not sure if he should reveal the next bit of information. “Who’s this for Coulson? Better not be Rumlow or Pierce. She hates them.”

“Not them. I hate them too. It’s actually for Bucky. He’s fallen hard for her. Both Cap and I have been trying, with no results, to get him to talk to her.” 

Now that he was in on the plan, Clint smirked. “Ah. New guy’s gotta crush. In that case, I’m glad to help. Nat likes him too.” 

Coulson cheered and began to move back towards Cap, but Clint caught his arm. “Hold on there. Thing about Natasha though is that she doesn’t think she’s got a heart. You know? Because of that hole in her chest? Your boy’s gonna have to work hard to get her to see differently.”

That little bit of information stalled Coulson. He knew Bucky could do it, he would need a push, though. “Bucky can handle it. He still thinks he’s not quite whole himself. Thank you, Rumlow for that. Maybe with Natasha, the two of them could help each other.”

Taking in Coulson’s frown, Clint just smirked. “Did I earn myself another kiss?”

Coulson smiled and kissed Clint again, it was a little less sweet, but held plenty of passion and still rendered him speechless. Proud that he’d once again reduced Clint to slumped shoulders and a sappy smile, Coulson left to find Bucky.

It was not a long search. Bucky was easy to find. All Coulson really had to do was find Cap. Today, they were near Natasha’s stage, talking and watching her dance. Cap was hopeful that if he could maneuver Bucky close enough, he could just pull Natasha into their conversation.

Natasha twirled in a perfect pirouette, and Bucky wished he could be her partner. Ready to catch her at the end of the spin and hold her close. Cap looked at him fondly and wished there was some magic phrase he could use to convince Bucky to talk to her. He was also aware that Bucky had not heard a single word he’d said in the past few minutes. Leaving Bucky to his yearning, he looked over Bucky’s shoulder and saw Coulson coming. He moved towards the soldier, hoping he had an idea about what they could do to give Bucky the nudge he needed.

“Please tell me you’ve got something, Coulson.”

The soldier grinned smugly. “Clint came through. Our boy has a definite shot with our ballerina, but it’ll take work.”

Cap glanced around and got an idea. He marched over to where Bucky was still rapturously watching Natasha dance. Steve caught how each time she spun and was able to see Bucky, her face would soften and her lips would quirk up in a small smile. Bucky, of course, missed this completely, too lost in his own thoughts about the dancer.

“Alright Sergeant, you’re coming with me.” 

“What? Cap! Hey!” Cap had taken hold of his arm and was dragging Bucky over to a laughing Coulson. “What is the meaning of this guys?”

“We are tired of you pining over Natasha. We are giving you a push.”

“I don’t need a push. She’s too good for me. She’s got no need for a deformed soldier.”

Cap and Coulson groaned in unison, both tired of that argument. “You are not deformed! Tony fixed you, remember?” Bucky refused to answer, preferring to hunch his shoulders and sulk.

Coulson just rolled his eyes. “Clint told me Natasha likes you.” Bucky perked up, but Coulson held up a hand, “but because of that hole in her chest, she believes she doesn’t have a heart. You willing to prove her wrong?”

Looking over at where Natasha was still dancing, Bucky knew he could, especially knowing that she did like him too. They were both damaged and could help each other. “Yeah, I’m willing.”

Cap slapped him on the back. “Thank God!”

Bucky’s smile was sheepish. “How do I start?”

Coulson walked over to the bushes that were attached to the castle and pulled out one of the roses. “You start,” he handed it to Bucky, “by saying hello.”

Taking the rose, Bucky nodded to his friends and took a few steps towards Natasha. He could do this, he took a few more steps. It was one word, a few more steps, he was so close now. Just one word, he could say one word. He was at the stage, Natasha did another pirouette, skirt flaring around shapely legs. Bucky took a deep breath and hopped on stage just as her spin ended and she came to a stop, landing so they were face to face. 

Now that he was this close to her, Bucky was in awe of just how small she truly was. Her head barely came to his shoulder and he wanted to put his arm around her and tuck her into his side. Her hair was as crimson as the rose still in his hand, and clear blue eyes looked into his, curiosity over his visit evident. 

She remained silent, though, plush pink lips fixed in a playful smile. Bucky remembered to smile back and held out the rose for her. “Hullo, thisisforyou.”

Her head tipped to the side. “I’m sorry?”

He shuffled his feet, before saying a bit louder. “Hello. This is for you.”

That earned him a full smile and Natasha took the rose and held it to her nose as if it had an actual scent. “Hello, and thank you. It is beautiful.”

Bucky was nervous again. “You, dance, um…” He slammed his eyes closed, horrified at his inability to speak. He took a breath and tried again. “You dance beautifully.”

“Thank you, Bucky.” She reached out and took his hand. Bucky looked at the small, slim hand over his and beamed. “I saw you and Cap watching and was wondering when you would come talk to me. A girl likes to meet the man who saves her from the hydra day after day.”

If he could have, Bucky would have blushed. “New arm,” he held out the shining appendage, “was still gettin’ used to it.”

Letting go of his hand, Natasha reached out and laid her hand on the metal arm. She bent forward and lifted a leg behind her, standing on pointe and resting her weight on Bucky’s arm. “I like it. Very strong.”

Bucky’s shoulders went back and his chest puffed out. He held it out for her to inspect at her leisure. Natasha walked around Bucky, examining his arm, on hand on it the entire time. “Yes. Tony did good work. I am glad you are my hero.”

“I’m glad too. Would you, would you like to go for a stroll Natasha? With me?”

Twining her arm through his, Natasha gave him a bright smile. “Yes. I would like that very much.”

Bucky couldn’t believe his luck! He walked them to the edge of the stage and let go of Natasha to jump down. He reached out to help her down, hands on her waist, he lifted her off the stage and set her on the ground. She took his arm again and they began to walk towards the castle. 

Now that they were talking, Bucky found it incredibly easy. Natasha may have looked cold and hard, but she was funny and very warm. She held onto Bucky’s metal arm and let him choose their path. As they walked, Bucky felt himself loosening up and he was soon telling her anything he could think of to make the walk last longer. 

When they returned to the stage, Bucky hesitated, not quite ready for it all to end. He looked at the creamy, porcelain hand resting on his arm and wished they could stay like this forever. 

“Bucky?”

Shaking himself, Bucky met Natasha’s curious gaze. “Yes, Natasha?”

“You didn’t hear a word I just said, did you?”

“I’m sorry, but no.” He looked at the ground, embarrassed not to have heard.

Natasha moved to stand in front of him and cupped his face in her hands so he could look at her. “It’s okay Bucky. I just asked if we could do this again tomorrow.”

Bucky smiled. “I’d like that a lot. Same time tomorrow?”

“Yes, but no hesitating this time.” 

He lifted her onto the stage and she knelt so she and Bucky were face to face. “Cross my heart. Soon as Tony’s gone, I’m comin’ straight here.”

“Good,” she placed a kiss on his cheek, “now go tell Cap the good news. I’m sure he and Coulson are dying to know what happened.”

Laughing, Bucy raised a hand to lightly touch where her lips had just been. “I’m tempted to let them suffer until tomorrow, but don’t know if I can be that cruel.”

Natasha’s laugh was melodic and bright, and Bucky was glad he’d been the one to bring it out of her. She stood and shooed him off, beginning a new dance. Bucky left, the sound of her voice still in his ears, as he went in search of his friends. 

As he was leaving, smile on his face and hitch in his step, Bucky did not see the shadowed figure who slunk off to report to his superiors.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nat reflects on her walk with Bucky and has a not so welcome conversation with someone else.

When Bucky had finally approached her, Natasha had been proud of him. He had been watching her with Cap for far too long now. It had taken quite a bit of willpower not to laugh as she watched Cap’s many failed attempts to prod him to talk to her. She had even begun dancing more and more complicated dances, hoping to impress him.

She had finally pulled Clint aside to see if he could also help. He had his own soldier and Natasha thought maybe some encouragement from a comrade would give her soldier the push he needed. Clint had smirked at her and happily agreed to help. They had been in the same box for a long time until Tony had taken them both out. If anyone could find the right set of words to give her soldier some courage, it would be Clint. Thankfully soon after their talk, Clint’s soldier had taken the initiative and pulled him aside and Clint was able to put Natasha’s plan into motion.

After they’d come back from their walk, and strong arms had lifted her back on stage, Natasha found she didn’t want Bucky to leave. So she’d bravely kissed his cheek, hoping he’d linger just a little longer. When he did, she almost cheered, and she had also gotten the promise of another walk for the next night. 

When he’d left, Natasha danced a little before a hissing voice whispered from behind her. “You know you can never actually love him, right?”

She missed a step in her dance, and when she whirled around, she saw the hydra standing in the shadows, heads moving in their hypnotic dance. “Shut up.”

“He’s right, though.”

“You have no heart.”

“No ability to love.”

“He’ll leave when he realises that hole means you’re heartless and can’t actually love him.”

“It’s why you’re on our side when the game starts.”

All the heads began to laugh in the rattling, sibilant way they did and Natasha wanted to throw something. Before she could do that or come up with a retort, the hydra backed away to its hideout. Natasha sat on her stage, chin in her hands, doing her best to try and forget the monster’s words.

They were wrong. They had to be wrong. She was always on the right side at the end. That’s what actually mattered. Right? 

Plus, Tony had already fixed Clint, and Cap, and Bucky, and Hulk. She had to be next. He would make sure she had a heart and he would close the hole so it couldn’t be lost again. Looking at where she’d left the rose Bucky had given her, she picked it up and held it to her breast. So thoughtful of him to give it to her. She wrapped it in her hair, wanting it to be with her always.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Natasha go for another stroll

The next evening, once Tony had left, and just as he had promised, Bucky hurried over to Natasha’s stage. She was there at the edge, waiting, and gave him a warm smile when he appeared. She reached out eagerly, for him to lift her down and did her best not to sigh as she felt his strong hands circle her waist. 

Once they were standing face to face, Bucky caught sight of the rose from the day before, in her hair and smiled. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Hello, Natasha.”

Looking at Bucky through her lashes, her eyes drifted down to their feet and she began to fidget a little. “Hello, Bucky. Wonderful rescue tonight. It was a close one.”

“Thank you. Cap and Clint helped a lot. Without them, I think we might have lost.” 

Leaning into Bucky, Natasha admonished him. “Do not sell yourself short Bucky. You are very capable, and strong, and…”

Her words trailed off and Natasha suddenly found the floor very interesting again. Bucky just grinned and threaded her arm through his. “Ready for our stroll?” 

Natasha nodded and Bucky began to lead them off. As they walked, Bucky asked her all about dancing and what else she liked. He found he really enjoyed learning about Natasha. She told him about the little girl she had first danced for and how, as the girl had gotten older, Natasha had danced less and less. It was not until Tony had found her in a box and dusted her off, that she’d had music again. 

They were walking around the castle to a more secluded spot when Natasha continued her story. “For a while, Tony kept me on his bedside table. Every night he would wind me up and watch me dance. He watched with such awe, I was honored to dance for him. He is a sweet boy and is so often lonely. I liked that my dancing made him smile. Once he’d repaired Cap’s shield, I became part of the play.” 

“Tony is a good kid. And, you’re right, he does seem lonely. I’ve never seen him with a friend over. The only other person I’ve seen has been Jarvis. I’m glad to be a part of all this. Before, when I only had the one arm, it took such effort to just get through the days, but now, I look forward to each and every one. And, ever since yesterday, there is an added perk. I get to escort a beautiful ballerina around and hope she’ll let me be her guy.” 

Natasha giggled. “I’d like it if you were my guy, Bucky. Life has certainly become much more interesting now that I have you helping me escape that hydra every day.” 

As they continued walking, Natasha told Bucky how she always imagined herself as more than just the damsel in distress. Bucky prodded for more, and after a moment, Natasha revealed that she liked to think of herself as a sort of spy who had been caught by the hydra and was just waiting for her men to come extract her. 

Leading them to where she’d been rescued that day, Bucky told her how much he liked how she saw herself, and that he happily endorsed her being a spy for their side. He grinned as he thought more about it. “I really do like that idea, Natasha. You’re our informant. You were getting us information about how to defeat the hydra when you were caught and we have to come get you out. We’re your backup, but you’re the one running the operation.”

As Bucky continued to talk, Natasha could feel her smile grow larger. She liked that Bucky thought so well of her and her skills. “Thank you, Bucky. I like that a lot. I don’t mind being the damsel sometimes, but having a bigger, more important role is so great.” 

“You are far more than a damsel, Natasha.” She rested her head on his shoulder, and Bucky did his best not to tense. This was a moment he would treasure forever. Just him and Natasha, no one else. No battles, no cruel words, just the quiet, her arm in his and her head on his shoulder. 

Steeling himself, Bucky decided it was time to be brave once again. He moved to face Natasha and cupped a smooth, rosy cheek in one hand. “Natasha, may I?”

Happiness evident in her eyes, Natasha’s lips curved in a teasing smile. “May you what?”

“May I kis-” Before he could finish, Bucky found himself yanked away. “Natasha!”

She was struggling against the hydra, which had a few of its heads wrapped around her. Bucky was being held back by Rumlow and his men. Rumlow came to stand in front of a struggling Bucky and leered. “Careful there, Barnes. Wouldn’t want to get broken would we? Not after so much time and effort was spent to ‘fix’ you.’”

“Let me go, Rumlow.” Bucky’s voice was low and dark. He struggled against the hands holding him in earnest, he wanted to get to Natasha desperately. His new arm was strong and he’d hoped it would give him the strength to wrench himself from their grip. Where were Cap and Coulson? Surely they’d had to notice what was going on.

Rumlow caught him looking around, and sneered. “Looking for your precious, Captain America? He isn’t coming.” Bucky’s eyes widened in panic. Had Rumlow finally convinced Cap that Bucky wasn’t worth his time? He struggled harder, if he was on his own, he would go down fighting. Rumlow rolled his eyes. “Oh, would you give up already? Cap is too much of a goody two shoes to be swayed away from his friends. And we can’t break him, the kid would throw a fit, but we can destroy the castle and knock over that stupid bear.”

Realizing that this meant help would not be coming anytime soon, Bucky looked over at Natasha. She was using her skill and strength as a dancer to try and get away. The only problem was that the hydra had nine heads, so every time she got away from one, another head was right there waiting. When she began to tire, she looked at him desolately and held out her hand, telling him to save what strength they had. Hopefully, if Cap and Coulson were able to get to them, they would have a better chance of getting free.

As it watched their little display, the hydra began to laugh. Hearing all nine heads laughing their hissing chortle, Bucky began to grow angrier. “What is the meaning of this?”

One of the heads weaved in towards Bucky. “You want to know why we are doing this? Is that it?”

Bucky surged forward, hoping to surprise Rumlow’s men. He almost broke free, but they were able to hold him fast. 

“Brothers, should we give the poor, broken soldier a clue?”

“I don’t know…”

“No! Let him suffer!”

“He’ll suffer more if we tell him.”

“Ooh! Yes! Tell him then!”

“Break his heart!”

Natasha gasped. Her distress and last head’s words caught Bucky’s attention. “What are you talking about?”

He met Natasha’s eye and saw more than fear there. She looked defeated, and Bucky was even more confused. What did she have to do with what the hydra said? 

“Should we tell him, Natasha, or would you like the honors?”

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. 

Trying to keep his voice soft and caring, Bucky reached out to her again. “Natasha?”

Nine heads looked back and forth between them before one asked. “Oh goody! May I break the soldier’s heart? Please?”

Eight heads nodded, and the jubilant one giggled. “Didn’t you ever wonder why the lovely Natasha starts the battle with us?”

“Because you captured her! Tony says that every time!”

The head laughed again. “That is because he is a child and doesn’t know any better. Not like we do. The truth of it is, that Tony know where Natasha belongs, even if he does let her be ‘rescued’ in the end. Think about it Barnes. She may look sweet and innocent, but with that hole in her chest, she’s got no heart. Just cold, hard porcelain.”

Bucky watched as Natasha’s hand came to cover her chest. It was obvious she believed the hydra. Bucky didn’t know how long it had been whispering those lies in her ear, but it had been doing it long enough for her to be affected. 

“Natasha?” She looked up at him, blue eyes sad and despondent. “You know that thing is wrong. It’s the real monster and wants you for itself. It would say anything to get you to agree to stay close.”

Her expression became hopeful and she looked at Bucky, still fighting to get to her, but she was still doubtful. “Bucky...I don’t, I’m not…”

“No! Natasha, you have a heart. I am sure of it. Why else would you let a broken soldier like me take you out? You would have laughed and teased like Rumlow if you were heartless.” 

When she didn’t look away, hope surged in Bucky’s chest. He was determined to get through to her. “You know I’m right, Tasha. You’re one of us. One of the good guys. Our inside woman. Don’t listen to that demon. It just wants you for itself. A pretty, ballerina to dance, and keep as a trinket.”

Natasha began to, once again, work at untangling herself from the hydra. “Bucky, I-”

Before she could make it far, the hydra snapped a jaw shut around her arm and hauled her back. “Now, now pretty ballerina. Soldier boy, over there may be right, but it doesn’t mean we are letting you go so easily.”

“Yesss….you’re ours.” Natasha worked to get free but stopped when she felt more pressure on her arm. “Careful now. We’d hate to have to damage you further.”

Determined not to let the monster back in her head, she continued to struggle. Bucky could see that the hydra was beginning to cause her more pain as it clamped down harder, and he refused to allow her to hurt more than was necessary. “Natasha.” Her gaze met his again, and he smiled sadly. “It’s okay. Go with the beast for now. We will come save you. I promise.”

“Yeah, good luck with that pretty boy.” The hydra tried to sound confident as Natasha did as Bucky told her and let a few of the heads drag her close. 

“What about the cripple, boss?” Rumlow jabbed Bucky in the chest and got a strange, hopeful glint in his eye. 

“Get rid of him. And make sure you’re not seen. I don’t want Captain America getting suspicious.”

“You got it.” Once the hydra had left, Rumlow grinned at Bucky and it was pure malice. “You heard the boss. Let’s get rid of this annoyance, once and for all.”

Bucky just rolled his eyes. Could Rumlow be any more of a stereotype? As they began to try and drag him away, Bucky heard voices and his heart soared. “Might wanna be quicker Rumlow, cavalry's coming.”

Rumlow looked to his men and gave a jerk of his head. They began hauling Bucky off while Rumlow went to distract Cap. When he could hear Cap’s voice, Bucky began to fight harder. 

“Cap! Hey! Back here! Help a guy out!” 

Cap pushed past Rumlow and came running to help Bucky. Together, they were able to get rid of the other men. Clint and Coulson followed close behind and added to their forces. The fight soon became fierce and heated with Cap and Bucky holding off Rumlow handily until he became cowardly and ran off after his men. 

Holding out a hand, Cap helped Bucky stand. “Mind telling me just what is going on? Once Coulson and I set the castle to rights, we noticed that Rumlow and his cronies were nowhere to be found.”

Bucky sighed. “They ambushed me and Natasha on our walk. Rumlow works for the hydra now. It took Natasha while Rumlow kept me occupied. If you and Coulson hadn’t shown up when you did, I think I might have ended up somewhere very bad.”

“Hey! What am I? Chopped liver? I was quite instrumental in this rescue operation too.” Clint pretended to be put out over it, but Bucky could see the teasing grin on his face. 

Coulson wound his arm through Clint’s. “Come on Hawkeye. Let me show you just how much I appreciate your skills.”

Cap and Bucky watched them go before getting down to business. “Okay, so how do we save Natasha? Got a plan?”

Bucky grinned at Cap. “I’ve got the beginning of one, but I’m gonna need help.”

“Tell me what you need and I’m there.”

“Good. Do we know where the hydra camps out while Tony’s gone? I think it would be arrogant enough to just go back there, rather than actually hiding.”

“I know its usual spots. So we stake it out and then gather the troops, and save Natasha?”

“For the most part. I think if we can get a sight line on Natasha, she’ll do what she can to help us.” Bucky paused and took a breath before continuing. “On our walk, she told me she likes to pretend she’s a spy for our side, who’s been captured.”

Steve clapped Bucky on the back. “I love that. It will definitely make things work in our favor for a rescue.”

Together, Cap and Bucky began to search all of the hydra’s usual hideouts. They made sure to say out of sight, hoping Rumlow had not yet reported his failures to the beast. When they finally spotted it, hiding in its fort of Lincoln Logs, they saw it had at least one head keeping an eye on Natasha at all times. The worst part was that Rumlow had reported back about losing Bucky, and he was also there with the hydra. Rumlow stood there, silently fuming, as the hydra gave him hell for letting Bucky escape.

Sneaking up to the ramparts of the castle, Bucky and Cap were able to get a clear view of everything surrounding the fort. Their position also allowed them to wait for the opportune moment of attack. They knew they could not just rush in, even though Bucky was aching to do that exact thing, or they would lose the battle quickly and Natasha would be stuck with the hydra until Tony came back.

Bucky peeked over the wall and watched as the hydra finally sent Rumlow and his men off to try and find Bucky. Both he and Cap flinched as they heard the hydra’s orders. “Tear him apart. I don’t want that freak of a soldier interfering anymore.”

When Natasha had cried out over the order, it took every bit of will Bucky possessed, along with Cap’s restraining arm, to keep Bucky from giving them away. “Buck, focus. We can’t help her if we run in there half-cocked. We need a plan.”

Clenching his fists at his sides, Bucky closed his eyes and counted to three. “I know Cap. I just wish there was something we could do now. I hate that she’s trapped.”

Cap patted Bucky on the shoulder and took another peek over the wall. This time, he was able to catch Natasha’s eye. When she saw him, she gave a small, imperceptible shake of her head, and mouthed the word, “wait,”. He gave her his own quick nod and ducked back down to Bucky. “We’re gonna need everyone’s help for this.”

Bucky agreed and together they moved out of the castle to begin gathering the troops. They found Clint and Coulson first and soon had a good number of soldiers to help them. Hulk even volunteered to help as much as he was able. He wanted revenge for being pushed over and knocking down the castle.

The final plan was that Cap and Bucky would lead the attack while Clint and Coulson were their backup. Hulk and the other soldiers would cover them and once they had Natasha, Hulk would hold the hydra captive.

Quietly, they all moved into position at the side of the castle. Cap and Bucky watched as each head of the hydra began to doze and drift towards the ground. Catching Natasha’s eye once again, Cap gave her the signal and she began, carefully and slowly untangling herself from the hydra’s heads. 

Bucky edged around Steve and began walking silently toward Natasha. If they could get her away in this manner, then maybe they wouldn’t have to fight at all. Holding out his hand to her, Natasha reached out for Bucky. When their hands connected, they both sighed in relief and smiled. 

Holding her steady, Bucky held his breath as Natasha lifted her leg over the last neck and threw her arms around Bucky’s. Glad to have Natasha in his arms, Bucky began backing away towards Cap. 

When he backed into Cap’s chest, the man leaned forward and whispered in Bucky’s ear. “Let’s get out of here.”

Keeping his eyes on the still sleeping hydra, Bucky just nodded. They waited a moment to be sure the hydra would stay sleeping. As it continued to snore, they were sure they were in the clear, Bucky, Natasha, and Cap turned and went back to the castle. Bucky refused to let go of Natasha’s hand. He could not wait until they were safe. He wanted to hold her close and kiss her like he’d planned to before they were ambushed. He also planned to talk to her about the lies the hydra had told and how false they were. Bucky knew she had a heart and that she felt more deeply that she even knew.

Unfortunately, before they made it inside the castle, their luck ran out. Rumlow and his men returned, and began running towards them shouting. The noise woke the hydra and all of its heads turned towards them. It lumbered to its feet and began growling out orders to stop them. 

Bucky looked to Cap, who nodded. He gave Natasha’s hand a quick squeeze before letting go and stepping forward to stand side by side with Cap. Clint and Coulson, after hearing the commotion, also came running and joined in the fray. 

Rumlow’s men were easily dispatched by Clint, Coulson and a few of their troops while Cap and Bucky went to work on Rumlow. He was a crafty warrior and it took just about everything Cap and Bucky had to get rid of him. 

By the time Rumlow had run off to lick his wounds with his men, the hydra had finally begun moving towards Cap and Bucky. Cap lifted his shield, and Bucky moved so they were shoulder to shoulder once again, both ready for whatever came their way. Clint and Coulson came to stand on either side of them, and Coulson told Bucky. “Hulk’s ready. If we get can the hydra close enough, he said he’d grab it and hold it.”

Before they could do anything, though, they all watched as one of the plastic rose bushes flew through the air and smacked one of the heads, knocking it into two of the others. Stunned, the hydra paused and before it could take another step, a block came flying and hit another head. Bucky looked over his shoulder and saw Natasha standing nearby, throwing anything she could get her hands on. Every hit was right on the mark and the hydra was so focused on avoiding the projectiles that it never noticed Hulk coming from behind and grabbing it. 

Cap went over to Hulk to offer his assistance, leaving everyone else to celebrate. Knowing Cap and Hulk had things well in hand, Bucky ran towards Natasha. She watched him come, with a small smile on her face, fingers fiddling with her skirts. When he reached her, he paused only momentarily, before hauling her into his arms. “You were amazing Tasha!” He twirled her around, and she laughed. 

Happy to let Bucky hold her, Natasha just buried her face into his neck. When he did set her down, she continued holding onto his arms. “Thank you, Bucky. Thank you for coming for me.”

Metal hand cupping her cheek, Bucky traced his thumb over the smooth porcelain. “Oh, Tasha. Of course, I came. I care about you a lot.” 

Natasha pressed into the touch at first, but couldn’t meet his eye. “Bucky, I, what the hydra said, it’s true.”

Hugging her close, Bucky spoke so only she could hear. “No. That fiend is wrong. You have a heart. I am sure of it.” Natasha wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. Bucky felt bolstered by this, so kept talking. “Even if you didn’t have a heart, I don’t care. I’ll share mine.”

He heard Natasha huff a laugh and stood on her toes to kiss Bucky. “Okay, okay, you win Bucky.”

Bucky leaned back and with a hand under her chin, he kissed her again. “Good. If you do happen to ever forget, I have no problem reminding you just how much of a heart you do have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and your comments and I hope y'all have all enjoyed!


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